Man 'tries to push police officer off third-floor balcony' in London

Twenty-two-year-old held on suspicion of attempted murder after ‘grabbing officer in strangle hold and trying to throw her off building’

A man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to push a police officer from a third-floor balcony in Stanley Road, Carshalton, south London (Google Street View)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly attempting to push a police officer off the third-floor balcony of a flat in south London.

Scotland Yard said the suspect put the officer in “a strangle hold” before trying to throw her from the building in Stanley Road, Carshalton, on Sunday evening.

Two female officers responded to reports of man “attacking other family members” just after 8.45pm. They encountered the 22-year-old suspect on the stairwell of the building.

The man punched through a window, injuring his hand, before kicking one of the officers repeatedly as they tried to detain him.

“The other officer was put in a strangle hold and the suspect then tried to push her off the balcony,” police said.

Other police responded after the officers activated their emergency radio alarm.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment to his injured hand before being taken into custody at a south London police station.

A second man, aged 52, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police.

The officers who first responded to the call were taken to hospital as a precaution but were not admitted for treatment.

Superintendent Steven Wright, of the Metropolitan Police’s south area command unit, said: “Both officers were responding to a call for help and were then assaulted, with one officer put in immediate risk of being critically injured.

“I am thankful that the two officers have not been seriously hurt, but this incident shows the courage of my officers and the dangers they can face.”

Last month the force’s commissioner called on members of the public to “get involved” if they see an officer under attack.

Cressida Dick spoke out after a series on incident in which bystanders filmed police being injured or at risk rather than trying to help.